Best Kansas City Royals Players of All Time

It wasn’t long after their first season that the Kansas City Royals were among the World Series odds favourites. With two titles and nine playoff appearances, the best Kansas City Royals players of all time have generally enjoyed team success alongside individual accolades.

Although they might not have as much representation in Cooperstown as some other franchises, there are still plenty of great players to choose from for these rankings.

Here are my five greatest Royals ever.

Best Kansas City Royals Players of All Time

1. George Brett

There was no question over the top spot. George Brett’s bWAR is over 40 more than any other Royal. He’s the franchise’s lone MVP, and only Danny Tartabull can better his 135 OPS+. A 13-time All-Star, World Series winner, and three-time batting champion, Brett was one of the best players of his generation.

The gap of 15 years between his first season with MVP votes and his last speaks to not only his elite production but also his exceptional longevity. No one has played more games for the Royals, and he’s got over 1,000 hits more than anyone else. 

2. Kevin Appier

With a 130 ERA+ and the most strikeouts in Royals history, Kevin Appier had to make the top five. Having produced the second-highest bWAR for the franchise, Appier slots in behind Brett in these rankings.

Finishing his career with just one All-Star selection indicates Appier was underrated. Between 1990 and 1997, he posted an ERA+ of 121 or better in every season, and twice led the American League in FIP. 

3. Salvador Perez

Brett is the only player to hit more homers for the Royals than Salvador Pérez. Pérez is seventh in games played and hits at the time of writing, and should add to his impressive list of accolades. 

Salvador Perez has been named Royals team captain.

Salvy joins George Brett, Frank White, and Mike Sweeney as the only team captains in club history. pic.twitter.com/UI2W53hbwL

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) March 30, 2023

Integral in the teams that went to consecutive World Series in 2014 and 2015, he starred in the 2015 Fall Classic, which earned him World Series MVP honours. While that was clearly the high point of his career, the Venezuelan also has eight All-Star nods, five Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers.

4. Bret Saberhagen

Bret Saberhagen’s fifth-best ERA+ in franchise history tells just part of his story. Saberhagen won the Royals’ first two Cy Young awards and was named World Series MVP in 1985 after throwing two complete games against the Cardinals.

He was twice named an All-Star as a Royal, and led the American League in FIP on two occasions. Being traded to the Mets in 1991 means Saberhagen cannot quite match the counting stats of Appier. 

5. Dan Quisenberry

Dan Quisenberry has the second-most saves in Royals history and by far the best ERA+. Despite working exclusively as a reliever, Quisenberry has the franchise’s 13th-highest bWAR.

He pitched to a 3.21 ERA over 18 playoff appearances. Perhaps more impressive, though, was his four consecutive top-three Cy Young finishes in the 1980s. He led the American League in saves on five occasions and pitched 128 or more innings in five of six seasons between 1980 and 1985.